A Method to Properly Cleaning The Kids Room
Are you struggling with how to clean the kids room or have you given up that battle? The first day back-to-school or even just Sunday night can be a great opportunity to get them in organization and cleaning mode. Even if there aren’t layers of clothes piling up, it still needs a good clean. We all have to face it… it’s time to clean the kids room.
Here are the steps to get you going and then we’ll give you further tips on each step.
- Reduce the clutter
- Tidy up
- Dust including
- Clean surfaces
- Vaccum
- Clean surfaces
- Fresh linens
- New supplies
Reduce the Clutter
Laundry is the biggest cause of clutter and probably the first thing to gather off the floor when starting to clean the kids room. Specifically dirty laundry. If there are layers of clothes, then just decide it’s all to go straight to the washer and begin again. Once the dirty clothes are dealt with, it’s time to take a good look around the room and see what’s old.
Old List:
- Clothes
- Toys & Games
- Tech – TVs, Computers, Tablets, Game Consoles
- Books / Textbooks
- Pillows & Bed Covers
- School Supplies
- Materials from School Last Year
Tidy Up
Remember this is a “deep clean” so no short-cuts like shoving stuff in the closet to reduce the clutter. To clean the kids room is one thing but the closest can take an entire Saturday! Start with the backpack still sitting on the floor from the end of school! Chances are there is a lot that can be just thrown away (like old mouldy sandwich bags). Similarly, if an object of clutter (ie: stuff) doesn’t have a place then pick it up and decide what to do with it… toss, donate or keep, are the only three options. If the choice is to keep it then it must find a home on a shelf or in a drawer. Sounds simple but not many are that methodical in their cleaning and can get stuck with what to do with something. That’s when it becomes clutter.
Dust
Once the kid’s rooms are tidy, they can be cleaned. Start with the walls, window sills, trim and baseboards. These don’t need regular cleaning but at least a wipe every month or two. Tackle the shelves by working from top to bottom. Make sure you inspect everything on the shelves. While you are wiping the dust off. Consider the three de-cluttering options from above, maybe something isn’t as important as it used to be to you. Don’t forget to dust the shelf itself. As I’m sure you have realized, dusting is best done on a bright sunshine day so it’s easy to spot.
Vaccum
Time to suck up the dirt (and dust). Be sure to get the corners and behind the door (these are often forgotten). Give any area rugs or carpet a good inspection. Be on the look-out for mysterious stains that show up in kids rooms. It doesn’t matter how it got there, but there is no time like the present to deal with a carpet stain.
Clean Surfaces
The room is starting to look good now, right? Don’t stop! While you can get at them it’s the perfect time to clean the surfaces of the room. With a damp cloth and a light-duty cleaning agent wipe everything. Start at one side of the room and work around the room. Use a special window cleaner for the window. Most cleaners will just leave a soapy film on the glass. Everything in a kids room gets touched more often than an adult’s room. So, take the opportunity to give it a good clean. Don’t miss the bed frame and headboard. Once a year it’s good to even wash the walls. Give the trim around the doors and light switches good scrub. This is where dirty little hands make the room unclean. If sickness is a concern, spraying some disinfectant on high-touch surfaces like drawer handles, light switches and doorknobs can also be an option. Just a light mist is all you need on that surface and then let it air dry (follow label instructions).
Fresh Linens
Almost done. While you are at it, change the bedsheets. Fresh linens are a nice reward for anyone. Nothing feels like clean other than a nice set of freshly cleaned sheets. For many, these times of deep cleaning are at the change of the season like spring and fall. Which means you are either taking off the warm blankets or putting them on. That’s the cue to throw them in the washer. Don’t forget the ornamental pillowcases (if you have them).
New Items
In a sense, a kids room needs to grow with them. Is the Disney Princess bed cover not working for your 12-year-old? It may be time for a change. Now that the room is clean and tidy, take a moment to notice what might need changing. Perhaps a desk is needed for homework or better lighting for late-night studying. If it’s back-to-school time, that means new school supplies. Kids should decide how they are going to use the new items and if they are to be left out or put away in a drawer right from the beginning of getting the new item (then it doesn’t become clutter later).
Depending on your child, you may not always win the battle over keeping the kids’ room clean. Working through the process with them every so often will help them to understand what a nice clean room feels like. It not only brings peace to you but also them, even if they don’t know it. Cleaning isn’t hard but doing it with the kids is an important life lesson. If you’d like help doing a spring or fall deep cleaning in your house.